Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-18
SPARKS RESIGNS.
The Commissioner of the General
Land Office in Letter TO the
President Tenders Resignation,
He Accuses Ar. Lamar Of Creating ths
Impression that ias Issue Between
Them was 02e OF Authority.
Hearing Before the Secretary on
Purely Le gal Question
LAMAR-sPARKs CONTROVERSY.

WASHINGTON, Nov. l5.-Land Com
missioner Sparks this evening personally
delivered TO the President letter de-
Tending his course in the Chicago, ST.
Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railwsy
lsGd grsns case AID formally resignins
his office. The Commissioner opeEs his
letter by saying: "Fhe honorable Sec
retsry of the Interior advises me By letter
dated the 1lth lost, in effect that he
should on thSt date present to you the
alternative of selecting & new secretary
Of the interior or a new land commits
sioner, in view Of which have felt called
upon TO address to you this letter"
He then refers to the railway cases
which hsd been decided by the Secre-
tary ard explsins why and how he asked
the Secretary 20 review them, believing IS
be did that Mr.. Lamar had been com
mitted to errors Of law which if brought
to his personal attention
MIGHT BE CORRECTED.
The Commissioner then proceeds IS fol
lows: SGT is but just to say that TIE pub
!isbed communication addressed to NE
J and laid before yCu is 70 answer 20 ny
letter applying for a review. The issue
y .
The presentation OF the issue was strictly
in the line Of legal argument. In the let
Ger addressed to me that issue is not
met and the effect has been
TO create the ERRONEOUS in
preston that the issue was one of
authority alone, and that l had refused
10 execute the Secretary's official order
This diversion Of the issue from one of
legal construction to one CT authority
snd characterization is substitution for
force of argument the diversion of the
public mind from the merits OF the case,
and if not resisted by me in this presyn-
t.tion TO you would be the suppression
| By thst power of proper and c,nsiG-
crate effort on my pars So C0mnlse'onsr
OF the General Land Offics TO secu.e II III a
public interest
AN IMPARTIAL HEARING
before the Secretary Of the In ercr On 3
purely legsl question affecting the sd
miIistgation Ct the CftiGe with which I AIN
chatge6. TIE Cffica g. Commissioned Ct
the General Led Ofi2e hes bee1 enc Of
intense lG9cr, imposing 3 constant sedse
Ct high responsibility. Having sought l.
st your E29Gs, l have continued to Mold
it only cut If sense Of duly with the
view of affecting scme good TO the puo-
lie. I have endeayored 20 discharge U3y
full duty in it 10 the fsce of mAny dis
cOuTagements and much csIumny and
abuse from those whose interests we've to
defeat the policIes pursued. I have be-
iieved my line Of action to be correct,
and thought had reason for the balief
that it met with your approval. If these
decisions ioreShsdOT change in
THE OFFICIAL POLICY
on this subject, knowing well what this
will mean il practical application,
could not Of course, with my sense Of
duty be the instrument to effect The
change. Having ever az now regarded
the commission 1 hold from you as sub
! ject 20 your recall sud desiring to rciitye
you of any possible embarrassment, l
herewith tender you my resignation Of
the { flee Of Commissioner Of the L md
Office srG ask It's e.rly acceptance, AMI
n severipg my connection with your ed
miaistrgti0n | beg &c assuTe you Il ny
earnest wish that the same wisdom, fair
ness and integrity which hzs thus Gar 50
eninently marked your administration
may continue TO enhance you II t1e esd-
nation of your countFFmer. Very re
specially, WILL!aM 4 j SPAKKs.
| SPARKS RESIGNATION ACCEPTED.
WASHINGTON, N v. Is -Commissiener
| Sparks this morning recelVed 3 later
from the President accepting his Tesigna-
ton TO take eff. CT to-day. The letter is
dated yesterday, end while declining
through courtesy 10 The President 10 give
il to the press the C]mmisei5uer said il
WIS extremely kind in tone, and express
ed the Presidents full appreciation Of
his services to the country SIS Commits
sioner OF the General Land OAice. 81
| feel Ike galley sl-ve Just re-
! leased," said the Commissioner, "snd tut
for the fact that I an indeed sick
1 would be in the best Of spirits. OF
course" he continued, 'this is not 8
pleasant ending OF my administration,
and when 1 reflect that I have given
nearly three years Of incessspt hard
brain racking work 20 the cause Ct the
people for but little mere than my board,
when remember that l am at leaet Sl0,-
600 worse eff today than l WAS the day
came to Washington, ard when I review
my work CT the last three years and know
that my course has been right and honest
one, that my case az issue is urqu5stinn-
ably correct, why, when I think of all
these things, conscious CT having done
my duty, cannot help wishing 1t were
otherwise, yet l an by no means IN
! happy ard I shsn remain here during tie
coming winter and take it easy"
Assistant Commissioner S5ockslsger
viii be Acting Commissioner until Mr..
Sparks successor is appointed.
LAMAR's ONLY MOTIVE.
| Special to the Gazette.
| WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-The resigna-
| ton Of Land Commissioner Sparks YVES
accepted by the President to-day. There
are number of candidates for tie vacan-
cv, among them beipg Congressman
| Cobb OF Indians, who wants it veEy much.
Secretary Lamar was forced into his &C
| ton On this matter by the continued IL
suoordin2tion of Dir. Sparks. Things
becsme so unpleasant that the Secretary
intinated sometime ago that the Depart
meat was not big enough for both of
them To this, however, no attention WAS
paid, and his letter wsa the result. Dir.
L3nar seid to-day when eeea thSt all
TIE credit Of these achievements
in settling the big land claims
belongs to the President. Republican
papers have already found an unworthy
motive 70 this fight, ascrioing II TO 8 de-
sire on the part of the Secretary to con-
ciliste some Republican Senators Hhs
were bitter in their denunciation of he
Presidents policy. He did this, they a4y,
TO curry favor and aid in bis .eonfrpaztisa
when nominsted by the Prsyidenkfor tHe
Supreme bench. The trutHof The uatser,
however, 10 that Mr.. Sperks was tetally ]